Results 2,221-2,240 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Yes, there is. We have conducted a client survey through Enterprise Ireland and the results are highly positive with a satisfaction rate of more than 70%. We also have carried out mystery shopping in order to have a good idea of what is working and what needs to be improved. At present, we are examining how to drive best practice across the LEO network and I am satisfied that good progress...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Yes, that is additional funding, which was included in the programme for Government.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: It is €200 million for the IDA and €300 million for Enterprise Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Over the next five years.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: What I have stated already today is hot off the presses. It is that I have allocated an additional €500,000 this year to the IDA to make sure it can deal with the Brexit issue. No decision has been made as yet regarding the 2017 allocations. The Deputy mentioned the effects over the years to come and I note the Department is in the act of putting together the Estimates for the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: When I refer to the enterprise case, I mean the case for Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, the LEOs and Údarás na Gaeltachta. I also will seek extra money for Science Foundation Ireland.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: We certainly have not announced the money for EI today.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: We have announced it for IDA Ireland. Extra resources will also go to EI and the LEOs, if we have money - I stated we were not totally finished spending on the current and the capital side. As I said, I am dealing with Ms Julie Sinnamon, the CEO of Enterprise Ireland, every second day and we are quite happy that EI is managing it really well at present. We must wait a number of months,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: It is not.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: It has been discussed at Cabinet and we will continue to discuss it. I will be discussing it with the Minister, Deputy Noonan, but it is really not appropriate to discuss it here today under the Estimates.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: We will wait until the TTIP regulation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: To be honest, it was a Cabinet decision and that is it. There is collective responsibility. It is not what Mary Mitchell O'Connor believes. That was a Cabinet decision and that is what we are going to do. I am one of those who wants broadband. I understand it is so important for us to ensure in bringing jobs to rural areas that they have broadband. As I said, I have been driving round...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I was splicing - however one does - to make the broadband work down at the ploughing championship. It seemed easy but I was told it was complex. Of course, we must work our way through all of the contracts and that will delay us. If it was left to me, and the Deputy asked me my personal opinion, I would love to cut a lot of the red tape and just do it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I have heard loads about Waterford, in the Dáil and elsewhere. The Chairman mentioned one figure. That was a once-off, but the trend is that it is coming down. It has come down 2% and we are pushing to ensure that it comes down another 2%. We are not complacent. We are not taking it for granted that such is the way of Waterford. From having looked at Waterford, it is a great...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Exactly. I will visit there in the near future.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Microfinance Ireland was set up on 2012.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: There was €10 million given in a tranche of funding and that is what we are using. That is why it is not showing up in 2016. We may look for more funding in the Estimates, depending on what moneys are left over. Microfinance Ireland is very good value. It started off very slowly. I have written to all the banks and I have had all the banks into our offices. Where customers of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I have just told the Deputy that we got that funding in 2012. Microfinance Ireland leverages funding also - €50 million from the banks. There was €25 million in funding altogether. We have been using that funding since. I support the continuation of the scheme. We will seek funding of €10 million in 2017 to secure the future of MFI.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Yes, in the budget.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Yes. I fight for the funding for our enterprises. I can tell Deputy Bríd Smith that my voice is heard loud and clear at the Cabinet table.